BBC Sport 'is in chaos' as staff go to HR over 'combative' new boss 'who thought British Lions played home and away'
BBC Sport is said to be in a state of 'chaos' after staff were forced to go to HR over their 'combative' new boss.
Mark Hughes, who joined the corporation in March, has faced a flurry of concerns from his new employees, including particular unease regarding his 'pretty combative' leadership style.
The journalist, previously head of news at the Daily Telegraph, also faces accusations of having a 'slight lacking in sport knowledge'.
In the latest crisis for the corporation, a source has told the Sun of a few 'gaffes' the BBC sport leader has already experienced during his short tenure, including 'thinking the British and Irish Lions played home and away '.
Concerns were also raised regarding his handling of Danny Care's retirement from professional rugby, announced in May.
Describing Mr Hughes as an 'excellent journalist', they added: 'He doesn't suffer fools gladly and is pretty combative.
'He wants the best from his staff but a few have found that intimidating and flagged concerns.
'HR are aware and parties have been spoken to but there have been no formal complaints'.
The journalist, who previously worked as head of news at the Daily Telegraph, also faces accusations of having a 'slight lacking in sport knowledge'. Concerns were also raised regarding his handling of Danny Care's (pictured) retirement from professional rugby
A BBC spokesperson said: 'While we do not comment on individual members of staff, we have robust processes in place to deal with any workplace-related concerns.'
It comes following a difficult few years for the BBC, with Huw Edwards pleading guilty to having indecent images of children, Jermaine Jenas axed after a sexting scandal and Gary Linekar axed over Anti Semitism claims.
Earlier this month, the corporation was reported to have launched a bullying probe into its flagship Breakfast show, which was branded 'toxic' behind the scenes.
Tensions have been said to be 'rife' between hosts and Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty, who has already expressed her uneasiness about Frediani's behaviour, with the probe said to have left the newsroom 'divided'.
A source told The Sun: 'To the viewer BBC Breakfast is a warm, gentle programme, one that is flourishing in the ratings. But beyond the cosy red sofa it is a very different picture. Several people — crew, production and even presenters — have been very unhappy'.
'Tension between Charlie and Naga is rife. Fredi is very old-school and has some slightly tyrannical tendencies. He is very cerebral but also quite aggressive in his methods. Some people think a recent promotion has gone to his head'.
'Meanwhile, Naga, who is passionate about speaking up if she believes something is wrong, has spoken to people who are unhappy. Formal complaints have been lodged, so the BBC has to be seen to act. The probe has really divided the newsroom'.
They went on to claim that some believe Fredani, known as Fredi, is simply doing his job, while others think that his methods are 'too tough' for 2025.
The ordeal began when media and entertainment industry news site Deadline alleged that Frediani (pictured) was the subject of at least two misconduct complaints, including one from a woman who had her grievance upheld after claiming that the Breakfast editor physically shook her during a heated newsroom exchange last year
An insider told MailOnline in April that Munchetty is 'quite open' about her ill-feeling towards Frediani. Another said that she has an 'uneasy relationship' with him.
The Mail also previously revealed that displeasure was intensifying at the BBC's northern base in Salford, where staff have watched Frediani's rise - from Breakfast boss to arguably the most powerful BBC editor outside London - with growing disbelief.
One said: 'You have to wonder what on earth is going on. The BBC claims to be this no-nonsense, woke, kind place - yet Fredi has been able to keep climbing the ladder. HR and his bosses are aware of [past] bullying claims against him.
'He's still allowed to hire, as we saw with Nina [Warhurst, who has just been appointed a regular presenter] this week, and presumably fire. He has so much power, it doesn't feel right at all.'
The ordeal began when media and entertainment industry news site Deadline alleged that Frediani was the subject of at least two misconduct complaints, including one from a woman who had her grievance upheld after claiming that the Breakfast editor physically shook her during a heated newsroom exchange last year.
The Mail also previously revealed that displeasure was intensifying at the BBC's northern base in Salford, where staff have watched Richard Frediani's (pictured) rise - from Breakfast boss to arguably the most powerful BBC editor outside London
Others also came forward with their experiences. One person claimed to have witnessed an incident in 2019, during which a 'clearly angry' Richard backed a Breakfast colleague up against a wall and was 'jabbing his finger' as he voiced displeasure about that morning's show.
According to the site, two additional sources also alleged that Frediani is known for ' screaming' down the phone at other BBC News desks and complaining about the quality of content they hand over to the Breakfast show.
Whether these allegations were upheld or dismissed is unknown.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
35 minutes ago
- The Independent
Taiwan VP says won't be intimidated after Czech officials claim Chinese diplomats planned car crash
Taiwan 's vice president Hsiao Bi Khim says she will not be intimidated by China after Czech military intelligence claimed Chinese diplomats and secret service followed her and planned to intimidate her physically when she visited Prague last year. Ms Hsiao visited the Czech Republic in early 2024. Prague does not have official diplomatic ties with Taiwan but has fostered warm relations with the island, which China views as its own territory. Czech media reported last year that a Chinese diplomat had run a red light when following Ms Hsiao's car. Czech public radio news website said on Thursday that the Chinese had also planned to stage a demonstrative car crash. "I had a great visit to Prague & thank the Czech authorities for their hospitality & ensuring my safety. The CCP's unlawful activities will not intimidate me from voicing Taiwan's interests in the international community," Ms Hsiao said, in a social media post on Saturday, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. The post was linked to a Reuters report about the incident. In another X post, Ms Hsiao thanked global parliamentarians who had expressed solidarity against "violence and coercion'. "Taiwan will not be isolated by intimidation," Ms Hsiao said. Czech military intelligence spokesperson said Chinese diplomats in Prague had taken actions that violated diplomatic rules. 'This consisted of physically following the vice president, gathering information on her schedule and attempts to document her meetings with important representatives of the Czech political and public scene," spokesperson Jan Pejsek told Reuters. 'We even recorded an attempt by the Chinese civil secret service to create conditions to perform a demonstrative kinetic action against a protected person, which however did not go beyond the phase of preparation." A spokesperson for China's foreign ministry denied any wrongdoing by Chinese diplomats and claimed the Czech Republic had interfered in the country's internal affairs by allowing Ms Hsiao's visit to go ahead. The Czech foreign ministry said it had summoned the Chinese envoy over the incident at the time but didn't comment further on Friday. 'This is the CCP's criminality on display for the whole world to see. This isn't diplomacy, it's coercion," the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee wrote on X. Taiwan protests Taiwan claimed the alleged Chinese actions "seriously threatened the personal safety of Ms Hsiao and her entourage". "The Mainland Affairs Council today protested and strongly condemned the Chinese communist's bad behaviour and demanded that the Chinese side should immediately explain and publicly apologise," it said. A senior Taiwan security official briefed on the matter told Reuters that the incident was an example of "transnational repression" by China that the European Union was currently paying close attention to. "This is a problem that everyone should pay attention to," the official, requesting anonymity, said, adding many government officials around the world were threatened by China upon visits made by Taiwanese officials or politicians to their countries. In Beijing, foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun maintained that "Chinese diplomats have always abided by the laws and regulations of the countries in which they are stationed'. "China urges the parties concerned not to be provoked and exploited by separatist forces for Taiwan independence, and to not make a fuss over nothing, engage in malicious speculation and interfere with and undermine the relations between the two countries." Ms Hsiao assumed office along with president Lai Ching Te on May 20 last year. Czech relations with China have cooled in recent years. The Czechs accused China in May of being behind a cyberattack on the foreign ministry. Tsai Ing Wen visited Prague last October. China views separately governed Taiwan as its own territory and has ramped up its military and political pressure in recent years. Taiwan says only its people can decide their future and vows to defend its freedom and democracy.
The Sun
37 minutes ago
- The Sun
I spent weeks identifying 7/7 victims – the atrocity still haunts me 20 years on
HERO Scots cops who identified victims of the London 7/7 terror attacks last night revealed they are still haunted by the atrocity 20 years on. Paul Clements, 67, recalled his 'traumatic' five-week deployment in a mortuary holding commuters killed when terrorists detonated suicide bombs on three trains and a bus. 4 4 4 The retired Met Police officer revealed he still struggles to board the Underground due to painful memories of the rush-hour tragedy — when 52 people lost their lives and 784 others were wounded. He had grown used to dealing with the 'ugly side' of life in the force but nothing prepared him for his work helming a team of Disaster Victim Identification officers. Days from the 20th anniversary of the attack on July 7, 2005, dad-of-one Paul, from Stranraer, said: 'I spent five weeks in a mortuary with a team trying to identify victims. 'It was traumatic, of course it was. Each body part or each person is also a crime scene. 'Obviously we had to recover any forensic evidence. We had to look for SIM cards, or bits of circuit board, for evidential purposes, because we were trying to find out what type of detonators were used. 'You're dealing with an ugly side of life — and as a police officer you do deal with the ugly side of life — but this was on a fairly massive scale. 'It took most people by surprise. You do have to be professional.' Three bombs were detonated on board Underground trains within 50 seconds of each other as Londoners headed to work. An hour later a fourth explosive ripped through the top of a No30 double-decker bus. Recalling his struggles later to catch the tube, with the memory of the attacks fresh, Paul said: 'I remember later walking to the tube station. 7/7 survivor Dan Biddle and his rescuer Adrian interview 'I got to the entrance and I just couldn't walk in it. I got a mental flashback of everything I'd just dealt with. 'I thought, no, I cannot go on the tube. And strangely enough, I got a bus, and the bus took me probably three or four times the length of time. 'Although obviously a bus was bombed as well, it didn't have the same mental impact as the tube did. 'For about a year I just refused to go on the tube. Needs must and eventually I faced up to it and jumped on the tube. But even now it just brings back all those memories. 'I'll do it, but I never feel comfortable going on the tube — and that's 20 years later.' Three suicide bombers launched the deadliest terror atrocity on British soil — setting off from Leeds around 4am in a hired Nissan Micra then driving to Luton to meet their fourth accomplice. Scots Victim Tragedy ACCOUNTANT Helen Jones was the only Scot to die in the terror attack. Helen, 28, was killed in the Piccadilly line bombing just weeks after moving into a North London flat with her boyfriend. She grew up in Templand, near Lockerbie, Dumfries-shire, and went to Aberdeen University aged just 16. After leaving school, she also spent time working with prostitutes and drug addicts at Glasgow's city mission and volunteered at homeless hostels. She'd texted her partner just before the bomb was detonated. Three of the men, Mohammad Sidique Khan, 30, Shehzad Tanweer, 22, and Germaine Lindsay, 19, entered the Underground and boarded separate trains. Ringleader Khan got into the second carriage of a westbound Circle line train heading to Paddington and detonated his device near double doors at Edgware Road station. Tanweer boarded an eastbound Circle line train and set off his device at the rear of the second carriage between Liverpool Street and Aldgate at the same time. Meanwhile, Lindsay caused the most devastation when he exploded his bomb on a southbound Piccadilly Line service between King's Cross and Russell Square. An hour later Hasib Hussain, 18, launched a fourth attack on boarding a bus at Tavistock Square. Retired Detective Sergeant Callum Sutherland, 67, from Greenock, led units working with pathologists to identify the deceased in a makeshift mortuary. The crime scene manager and his officers had to search for bits of explosive devices — a job so grim that many opted to stay in a hotel for five weeks rather than return to their families and discuss the devastating details. Callum endured harrowing shifts with fellow officers within the temporary morgue in the gardens of the Honourable Artillery Company. Netflix Doc Details Horror Attack A NEW Netflix documentary will offer inside accounts of the horrific day. Attack on London: Hunting The 7/7 Bombers features exclusive interviews with witnesses, including survivors and police. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, 72, also contributed to the programme. And relatives of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes, 27, pictured, who was shot dead after being wrongly suspected of being a terrorist, also have their say. The documentary will launch on the streaming service on Tuesday. He admitted: 'A girl was meant to be getting married there over the weekend. The police or the government paid for her wedding to be somewhere else so they could use this as a temporary mortuary. 'It's later it affects you. You'll hear police officers say, it doesn't bother me, it's just a job. 'Well, rubbish. It does. Not necessarily at the time, or the next day, or a few days later, but at some point it will.' Family man Callum has also worked with crime author and scriptwriter Lynda La Plante on TV shows Prime Suspect and Trial & Retribution. He added: 'You have the occasional nightmare. I've always felt if it doesn't bother you, then you're not the right person for the job. 'One of the things that was different as well is, generally, in a murder, you don't know who did it, or you don't know the exact cause of death until you have a post-mortem. But with the bombings, you knew how those people had died from the word go. 'It's tiring because you were doing 12-plus hour days, day in, day out, but we had an important job to do.' He and colleague Paul remain proud of how they handled the toughest days of their careers. Paul said: 'It doesn't feel like 20 years. It seems in some instances almost like a couple of years ago. We all felt very proud. I think we're all professional, and it was a multi-team sort of effort because it wasn't just Met officers and we worked exceptionally well.' Callum added: 'You should be thinking about people who've lost their loved ones, giving family comfort and finding out who did it.'
Daily Mail
38 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Tesco shoppers baffled as more products now bizarrely given security tags including HAM - as new anti-shoplifting measures hit stores
Packets of ham have been fitted with security tags in the latest anti-shoplifting measures to hit supermarkets. Tesco have put yellow stickers reading 'security protected' on a range of their lunch meats. Some of the items they were on included £2.50 honey roast ham, chicken fillets priced at £2.75, Tesco Finest Wiltshire Cured Ham for £3.75, blocks of £3.35 cheddar cheese, £2.75 roast beef slices and £4.50 gammon. Mince meat and pork were also slapped with the same yellow stickers. Tesco shoppers were left baffled by the decision to put security tags on the pocket-friendly every day items. Dylan John, 48, said: 'It's like Fort Knox in there. You can't move without security keeping a beady eye on you. 'I only pooped in for a lettuce and felt like Ronnie Kray walking round the aisles.' They were spotted in Tesco Express, in Central Drive, Blackpool, Lancashire. The mini supermarket is in the shadows of the town's seaside resort's Blackpool Tower. Shoppers have been spotting yellow anti-theft stickers appearing on all sorts of items in the last few months. On X, one wrote: 'I just had to get a security tag removed from a £4 bottle of washing detergent at my local Tesco. What is going on??' Another wrote: '@Tesco I bought some pyjama bottoms at a Tesco Extra yesterday (I have the receipt!) using a self service till & there's a security tag still on it! How do I get it off, given that I live miles from any Tesco stores that sell clothes' 'I bought a bottle of wine for £7.50 in a Tesco Express in Coleford in the Wye Valley last week. It also had a security tag. I was surprised by that,' said a third. A fourth wrote: 'In Tesco in London yesterday I saw a Chomp with a security tag and an armed guard protecting it. London is finished.' It comes after Tesco introduced new anti-shoplifting devices on their shelves which left customer's wondering how the contraptions could possible deter thieves. The plastic flaps are positioned loosely in front of store items and in footage uploaded to social media are seen being freely slid from left to right to uncover the goods. A strange creaking noise is also a feature of the appliances which in the video shield boxes of chocolate like Ferrero Rocher and Milk Tray. Taking to TikTok, many users had strong opinions on Tesco's latest initiative. One person said: 'How does this stop shoplifting?' Tesco's new anti-shoplifting devices have left customers bewildered as they question how a piece of plastic could deter would-be thieves The contraptions are positioned loosely in front of store items and in footage uploaded to social media are seen being freely slid from left to right to uncover the goods Others said they believed a solution would be to make the items more 'affordable' rather than upping the security. Someone said sarcastically: 'Let's not try and just simply make this affordable so people buy instead of stealing.' A study in March found nearly a quarter of the UK population have witnessed shoplifting in the last 12 months. The figure is the equivalent of more than 16 million people seeing such an event, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)-Opinium poll. It is perhaps no surprise as the statistic follows figures revealed by the Mail on Sunday in September 2023 that theft takes place every two seconds in Britain.
